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Ensuring safe work conditions and environment Both sexes experience varying levels of exposure to chemicals and their associated risks across different contexts. Factors such as occupational roles, gender63 roles, household responsibilities, geographical location and biological susceptibility determine the exposure to toxic chemicals and the resulting health impact. For instance, in agricultural communities in developing countries, men may be at higher risk of direct exposure to chemical pesticides during application, while women and sometimes children may be more likely to be indirectly exposed during planting and harvesting, in addition to their exposure to chemicals contained in cleaning agents,
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Gender as defined by UN women “refers to the social attributes and opportunities associated with being male and female and the relationships between women and men and girls and boys, as well as the relations between women and those between men. These attributes, opportunities and relationships are socially constructed and are learned through socialization processes. They are context/ time-specific and changeable. Gender determines what is expected, allowed and valued in a woman or a man in a given context. In most societies there are differences and inequalities between women and men in responsibilities assigned, activities undertaken, access to and control over resources, as well as decision-making opportunities.”
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